Scotland isn’t the first place that springs to mind when planning a summer holiday, but we really believe that if it isn’t, you are missing a trick!
With beautiful coastlines, stunning Lochside beaches and crystal-clear waters it’s a wonderful place to visit in Summer. Taking one of our Nomadic Scotland Land Rovers off for a trip will enable you to truly enjoy the outdoors, camping under the stars, and cooking fresh seafood over an open flame. These will be memories you will never forget.
Our Suggested Summer Route: –
Set off from our base in Perth, fully loaded up with camping gear and all the extra’s from our Beach Package (a Red Sail paddleboard, Beach BBQ, wind break and a couple of dry robes).
AVIEMORE
Head straight to Loch Morlich near Aviemore and pitch up for the night at Glenmore Campsite https://glenmore-campsite.com , a treasure tucked between thousands of ancient pine trees and a short walk to the beach. You can spend the next day working up your appetite exploring the Loch on your paddleboard, before settling in for a beach BBQ.
Spend a couple more days taking in the glorious surrounding Cairngorm mountains, there is plenty to do in Aviemore for all levels of adventure seeker, or if you are ready for more exploring, head back out onto the road.
INVERNESS
Your next stop is the highland capital of Inverness. There is so much to explore in this vibrant historical town. Inverness Castle, perched up high, offers history with a view.
You can wander along the banks of the River Ness or visiting the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery is a treasure trove for those who love a deeper dive into the past. For those who want a more poignant, enlightening experience head to Culloden Battlefield and take the audio tour to relive the harrowing events of the battle.
Evenings in Inverness are full of life! Traditional pubs with music and warm welcomes, and restaurants serving up the best of Highland fare. It’s a great way to spend the night.
JOHN O’GROATS
Driving North from Inverness, head to John O’Groats and have your picture taken with the famous signpost. From here you can take a wildlife cruise, looking out for grey seals, puffins, harbour porpoise, dolphins, and Orca’s.
While John O’Groats is often thought of as the most northerly part of Britain, the claim really belongs to Dunnet Head. Here a lighthouse marks the northernmost point of the UK. Take your Land Rover along the track, and park up at the lighthouse, then see if you can spot puffins nesting in the cliffs.
For your camping pitch, head a little further along the coast to The Crofters Snug https://www.thecrofterssnug.co.uk , a small, dog friendly campsite offering just five touring pitches. You will feel like you have the place to yourselves as you drink in the dramatic sea views and star-studded skies, and if you are lucky, you might even see the Northern Lights!
DURNESS
Follow the NC500 along to Durness, a tiny little village in the North-West of Scotland. Here lies Sango Sands Oasis https://sangosands.com , sitting right on the cliffs with beautiful views over award winning beaches below. Pitches for those that don’t require electrical hook-up are on a first come/first serve basis, so make sure you get there with plenty of time to pick a great spot.
The waves at the beaches below aren’t for the faint hearted, but when the seas are calm it’s a beautiful spot for some paddleboarding and a beach picnic.
You can visit Smoo Cave while you are here, a spectacular sea cave set into the limestone cliffs. The cave can be explored by path from the car park on the cliffs, or by boat with one of their guided tours (you must pay cash). The cave boasts one of the largest entrances to any sea cave in Britain at 50ft high! If you’re hungry after your tour, Cheese N’Toasted food van parked in the car park comes highly recommended.
CLACHTOLL BEACH
This picture postcard beach with white sands and idyllic turquoise waters is your next stop. From the headlands at either end of the beach there are stunning mountain views for miles around.
Clachtoll Beach Campsite https://www.clachtollbeachcampsite.com is one of our favourite places to pitch up in the Land Rover. It’s a quiet, award-winning campsite, situated right in-front of the beach. The beach is one of the few that sits on the snorkel trail hosted by the Scottish Wildlife Trusts with a clarity of water that must be seen to be believed.
Spend a couple of nights in this beautiful location, snorkelling, paddleboarding, fishing or just taking in the beautiful sights. These memories will stay with you forever.
ULLAPOOL
Once you feel ready to tear yourself away, head along the road to Ullapool. Here you can visit the Corrieshalloch Gorge or the Ullapool Museum. For those of you wanting another try at seeing those elusive whales, boat tours operate from here out to the Summer Isles, with very well-informed guides on board to give you the history of the area and Isles.
The food in Ullapool is great, with the Seafood Shack https://www.seafoodshack.co.uk a particular favourite, named by Visit Scotland as one of the best seafood shacks in Scotland. It was set up by two local lassies, who have won many awards for their locally sourced, beautifully cooked seafood.
With full bellies you can retire to your rooftop tent, pitched up in Broomfield Holiday Park http://www.broomfieldhp.com . A quiet campsite set on the banks of Lochbroom and looking out to the Summer Isles and Outer Hebrides.
PLOCKTON
From Ullapool head down towards Plockton, making sure to go via the Applecross Peninsula. It’s not for the faint hearted, with its steep twists and turns, but the Land Rover can handle it and the views from the top are breath-taking.
Plockton is nick-named the “Jewel of the Highlands” and sits on a sheltered bay with stunning views overlooking Loch Carron. Because of its spectacular setting and traditional Highland atmosphere, Plockton has appeared in numerous film and TV productions, so you might find you recognise it.
Once again it’s time to get out the paddleboard, as the views from the Loch are unparalleled. With coral beaches and secluded bays, it’s the perfect place to spend a day on the water. You might even get to see some marine life at close quarters.
GLENCOE
Your trip is drawing to an end, but one last iconic spot will be your final stop. Roll into the Red Squirrel campsite https://redsquirrelcampsite.co.uk and take in the beautiful views of Glen Etive and Glen Coe. You can create your own scene from Bond, on the roads used for Skyfall, or bag one final Munro.
Just down the road we recommend the Lochleven Seafood Café http://www.lochlevenseafoodcafe.co.uk/home/ . After being caught locally by their own fishing boats, the shellfish they use is stored in adjacent tanks, where the water is pumped continuously from the cold clean sea-loch on their shore. This allows their Chefs to access the freshest possible west coast seafood for the Restaurant and Deli. Either stop by for a meal or buy some of their shellfish for your final alfresco meal before climbing up to your rooftop tent for your last night under the stars.
All Photography by James Alroca